Making 13 the easy way
Many players feel that executing squeeze is something beyond their capabilities. But the fact is that in most cases, just about all declarer has to do is to cash his natural tricks, and, presto, the squeeze materializes all by itself.

Consider this deal where South finds himself in seven notrump after North ascertains via the Gerber Convention that no aces or kings are missing from the combined hands. When dummy appears, declarer notes that he has only 12 tricks, with no apparent chance of scoring a 13th.

But if South is at all familiar with squeezes, he also notes that he has all the tricks but one, the key prerequisite to a squeeze. However, even if he doesn't know the difference between squeeze and a Wiener schnitzel, he makes the slam with normal play.

South wins the heart lead with the ace and cashes four spades and three diamonds. On the third diamond, poor West finds it impossible to make a safe discard from a holding of 10-9-7 of hearts and Q-10-6 of clubs. A heart discard hands South an extra heart trick, while a club discard hands dummy an extra club trick.

The squeeze succeeds whether or not South is aware of the squeeze possibilities from the outset. If he is squeeze-conscious, he hopes the defender who was dealt most of the missing hearts also has most of the missing clubs. If he is not squeeze-conscious, the good Lord takes care of him anyway!

(c)2007 King Features Synd., Inc.